This section provides background information related to the present disclosure which is not necessarily prior art.
Athletes often wear protective pads, plates, guards, masks, and other protective articles of apparel. For instance, football players (players of American-style football) often wear thigh guards that are worn to protect the player's thighs. As such, the thigh area can be protected from contusions or other injuries that could otherwise occur during play.
These articles of apparel can be tested on a compression testing machine, such as an impact testing machine. These tests can reveal the compressive strength of the apparel, the impact attenuation of the apparel, impact durability of the apparel, the flexibility of the apparel, or other characteristics of the apparel. This data can be used to evaluate the suitability of the apparel for protecting a wearer during use.